Posts on education, music education and students
Some of my teachers played a big role in my life. A great ancient Hebrew named James had this to say about teaching… “Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards.” Here are some good and not so good teachers …
After I discussed our first playing test of all 12 scales in one of my high school classes, a student of mine came to speak to me a few days later… “Mr. Divine…I’ve been working hard on the 12 scales and wanted to let you know that it’s possible I might not pass them on …
Nobody wants to lose a band student. Sometimes it’s inevitable – you get a student who doesn’t want to work at all for example. Other times it may be our own fault. Here are 11 ways to lose a band student for sure (and 11 ways to keep them). 1. Have Roving Eyes Instead of focusing …
By Guest Writer Brooke Pierson Keeping up with the times – a no win scenario? Over the years I am constantly hearing about how we need to “reach more kids”… Teach rock band! Teach computer music! Teach hip-hop! Teach what the kids are interested in. To be fair, this post isn’t about those things entirely …
If the President would simply issue the following proclamation, I would support him forever… “Let it be known that from this day forward, all marching band competitions shall be held on Fridays. All students involved in the competition shall be exempt from homework given or due that day. In addition, students not involved shall remain …
Read more “With one proclamation, the President would have my unending support”
I hear Christians lamenting all the time about two Supreme Court decisions in the 1960s that “removed prayer from schools”. This is a distortion of the facts. I decided it was time to set the record straight. Those decisions did not remove prayer from schools, but removed state-sponsored prayer from public schools, and frankly I’m …
4 Tips to Help you be a Better Band Director using the Acronym BAND. There are four key areas that – if you focus on these and make them a priority – they can help you be a better band director. None of them have anything to do with music, but the word “BAND” does …
Read more “4 Tips to Help you be a Better Band Director using the Acronym BAND.”